Up until a few years ago I would have said we know diet is important to the skin’s health. After all when you don’t eat, you die, and that looks particularly bad! But the research pinpointing what kind of diet works the best just wasn’t there. That has changed, with research showing what aspects of your diet can fight wrinkles and possibly reduce your risk of skin cancer from the inside out. It all boils down to the theory of reducing inflammation because chronic inflammation prematurely ages the skin. In essence consuming an anti-inflammatory diet is one of the more beautiful things you can do for yourself.
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet has many health benefits, too many to list, but for the sake of this book it’s all about the positives for skin. Think multicolor when you choose what to eat: the reds of peppers, apples, cranberries, pomegranates, and strawberries; greens from broccoli, kiwi, kale, green tea, and chilis; blues from blueberries; brown from cocoa and coffee (without sugar), and black from blackberries and black tea; coral from salmon; purple from grapes and purple-colored cabbage; and on and on. Include monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados; and sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in cold-water fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and anchovies, as well as walnuts and flaxseed. In addition, add a bit of flare to your meals with ginger, turmeric, curry, tamarind, cumin, and cardamon, all of which have potent anti-inflammatory properties.
In terms of taking antioxidant supplements for your general health or cancer prevention, the research is truly mixed. Some studies suggest that taking supplements is not helpful, especially a specific one for a specific problem. Others vehemently disagree, especially those in the vitamin supplement business—and then there are those who say the research isn’t there to base an opinion on one way or the other. If anything, there is research suggesting that taking supplements may be problematic but no one is sure what that research means.
What does seem clear is that supplements alone do not make up in any way for an unhealthy diet. The claims for “Beauty supplements” that say they can enhance collagen production and fight wrinkles do not hold water; the research isn’t there unless it’s been paid for by the company selling the supplement. What you absolutely must know is that a pill of any kind doesn’t alter the need for a complete, healthy diet. Always check with your doctor before adding any type of supplement to your diet.
(Sources: Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, 2008, pages 15-19; Lipids in Health and Disease, October 2008, page 36; Nutrition and Cancer, February 2008, pages 155-163; The Journal of Nutrition, September 2007, pages 2098-2105; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2007, pages 314S-317S; Annals of Internal Medicine, September 2006, pages 372-385; Skinmed, November-December 2004, pages 310-316; and International Journal of Cosmetic Science, December 2002, pages 331-339.)
Along with an anti-inflammatory diet, the best advice is to avoid environmental and emotional “irritations” and stress, and to use skin-care products that don’t irritate skin. That can go a long way to prevent many of the pro-inflammatory elements you have to deal with so they don’t accumulate and cause more damage.